2003
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Ocean Planet/USA 05 Update from Bruce Schwab:
Tuesday, November 05, 2003
While the world’s top Open 60’s pound their way towards Brazil, here I sit at the computer ordering parts and planning our work strategy on our own boat. Next week the real fun begins (at least the laborious part, the expensive stuff will have to wait), when I return to Portland, Maine where she patiently awaits.
It is hard for me to focus all day with the distraction of the Transat Jacques-Vabre underway…(check it out: http://www.jacques-vabre.com/). I keep daydreaming about my Vendée competitors that are now getting so much practice and honing while I sit here thinking about power tools, sandpaper, and epoxy….. ggrrrrr…..
Okay, I’m better now…I just had to do 60 pushups to calm down…
My first visit to France was in 1999 to see the start of this race (it takes place every two years), and to study the boats. I can’t believe that was FOUR YEARS ago!! That trip left a big impression on me and what an experience to see so many IMOCA Open 60’s and ORMA 60 trimarans in one place, the race village, and the exciting starts. I was a kid in a candy store and it was the beginning of a big education about these crazy crafts. It was also my first chance to meet some of the great sailors that make up the sport of solo ocean racing! This trip was the catalyst that kicked Ocean Planet off of the drawing board and into reality and eventually around the world. Check out my update from then as it was one of the first that I ever wrote, and I re-read it myself now and then to flashback on how all this got started….. www.everyocean.com/oceanplanet/op/news/beginning/update_10_13_99.htm
But no amount of my own inspiration would have gotten us this far. Thanks again for following and for the support that makes such dreams possible! Especially to these contibutors over the last couple weeks:
Frank LaHaye
Glenn and Kathy Davis
Pat Zajac
Michael Borgerding
Winton Cleary
Howard Winrow
Mike Maloney
Richard Brungard
Clive Daem
Dr. Ayn Woodruff
Daniel Haynes
Ted Crum Jr.
Dale Parshall (singlehanded transpac winner in 1998!)
Glenn & Paula Dewell (super teacher at Bain School!)
Steven Thompson
Robert Bloom
Thanks to all of you, and also to those who have been ordering Ocean Planet gear and the “Music for Sail” CD’s!
Bruce Schwab, Skipper
USA 05/Ocean Planet